1985 Graham

[RAYC]

On Thursday 27th October 2011, at The Crusting Pipe, StevieCage and RonnieRoots held a tasting with AHB, jdaw1 and RAYC.

Links:
Review of the evening as a whole
1985 Graham (bottle 1)
1985 Graham (bottle 2)
1985 Fonseca
1983 Offley Boa Vista
1977 Niepoort
1970 Gould Campbell
1998 Dow quinta do Bomfim
Planning and arrangements

[RAYC]

Bottle 1

From AHB's stock, a pronounced mintiness on the nose, predominance of cherries in the mouth and loads of licquorice and spicy black pepper towards the end-palate. A touch of heat on the finish, which was gloriously persistent. Mature enough to drink without feeling guilty, but will yet improve. ****(*) (91)

Guessed as Taylor 83(x2), [Dow] 77, [Dow] 83

[AHB]

Mid red in colour; 60% opaque. Lovely nose, with attractive stewed strawberries and some mintiness. Sweet fruit dominated entry with surprisingly grippy and spicy tannins. A sharp dryness to the mid-palate, but terrific development. Still very youthful on the palate. Sligght heat on the aftertaste, then a long and spicy juniper dominated finish of huge length. Dry cocoa powder and sweet black licorice dominates. Terrific port, still surprisingly youthful. Served blind, guesses were D77, T83, D83, T83. Decanted for 6 hours. Drunk 27 October 2011. 91/100.

[jdaw1]

G85 (AHB): 60% opaque. Mid weight, red cherry. Very long, mature and big. Dry. (Initially I wrote “Dry then sweet”, then scrubbed the “and sweet”.) Jolly good. Very dry mid-palate. 1977? Dow? Oh no sir — completely wrong.